Can you recommend (or warn against!) an Atrium room at CSA?

My husband and I are traveling to Swept Away in early February and booked the Atrium suite. I keep hearing stories how some rooms are noisy, some have mold, ants, bad mattresses, etc. Room numbers are rarely mentioned -- would love to be able to get room/building number info to help on our check-in/arrival.

Last year we stayed in room 2226 love it. had a great view but at night you could hear the entertainment from palms. Joked about as long as you hear the drums you know your ok it when the stop the trouble starts. Had a few ants in the bathroom, they liked our toothpaste.

Year before ( dont remeber the number) we had a room near the wedding gazibo and could see the kio pound from window. Love it too.

This year we have again booked an Atrium for our stay and will be pleased with what ever Atrium suite we get, for at CSA any room is a great room.

I understand how you can worry, you read a few bad reviews and start to freak out, this trip cost alot and you dont want to be disapointed. A few month before our first trip I started to have dream that our room was little more than a garden shack. And the resort itself was more swap like then tropical. LOL!!! I would recomend some ear plugs, not for road noise but for the tree frogs. How something so small can make so much noise....... 254 days until we return home.

Last year we stayed in room 2226 love it. had a great view but at night you could hear the entertainment from palms. Joked about as long as you hear the drums you know your ok it when the stop the trouble starts. Had a few ants in the bathroom, they liked our toothpaste.

Year before ( dont remeber the number) we had a room near the wedding gazibo and could see the kio pound from window. Love it too.

This year we have again booked an Atrium for our stay and will be pleased with what ever Atrium suite we get, for at CSA any room is a great room.

I understand how you can worry, you read a few bad reviews and start to freak out, this trip cost alot and you dont want to be disapointed. A few month before our first trip I started to have dream that our room was little more than a garden shack. And the resort itself was more swap like then tropical. LOL!!! I would recomend some ear plugs, not for road noise but for the tree frogs. How something so small can make so much noise....... 254 days until we return home.

Thanks for your thoughts! Was your room at ground level or second floor? do you think it matters? do you know if they offer upgrades upon arrival?

Oh my stars - we stayed in our first Atrium room (just got home last night) - a second floor and I am afraid to post the room number cause we want it again next year! Well, okay let me say it was in the middle part of the resort, but still on the older side. It was the absolute best. We had a wonderful view of the ocean, not to mention being able to hear it esp. at night along with the tree frogs. We kept our shutters open since it was so lovely and cool at night, the tree frogs actually do shut up later on (I thought). The first night we were there, after we went to bed it poured rain (the only time it rained at all while we were there) and the combination of rain, frogs and ocean was just the best. You feel like you're in a tree house with the vaulted ceilings and the hammock and all the palm trees around, and hubby never ever said he would like a TV! He would sit out on the veranda and listen to his IPod or just space out. He NEVER does that at home!

Now, we did reserve an Atrium when we booked, and I ended up a few weeks ago e-mailing Hope in reservatios that IF it was at all possible we would LOVE a second floor, and IF available in the middle of the resort and she said she would note our preferences. They will try to accommodate your request if they can, so go ahead and ask. I did notice that there are Atriums right near the Palms, and I would think those rooms would be the noisiest and they aren't set far back, so I wouldn't be thrilled with those unless you wanted to be right there by the pool, path, etc.

As to the mattress, it was very firm but very comfortable for us. Ants - I did notice a few teeny tiny ones but they were so not a bother = I had never seen any that small! I would not keep food around, that's all.

Bottom line is that we loved it and would never want any other type of room, not even a beachfront suite!! (well, if they GAVE it to us, I suppose we'd take it!!)

Both times we had a second floor,we can think of benifts to both floor so have just left it up to chance. I am sure if you ask when you check in for an up grade and don't mind paying for it they will try. I say book the room type you want so no worries.

Room noise is so very subjective. After a long day in the sun I could fall asleep next to an interstate, perhaps next to the stage at a rock concert. Other folks can't be tired enough to fall asleep if there is a breeze blowing a curtain. Get the point? Indeed some rooms are closer to the road (generally GVS category) and will have some road noise but again whether it's bothersome is subjective. Other rooms are closer to the open-air restaurant which has some entertainment in the evenings but again it's subjective as to whether this is a bother. Don't let others opinions get you fretting.

Ants can be present in any of the rooms just as you can get them in your house if you aren't careful. If people leave food or drinks...or just dirty dishes...laying around there WILL BE ants. If you choose to bring food back to your room either refrigerate it or eat it right away and don't leave dirty dishes in the room or even throw food in the trash can...take it back to the restaurant or put it outside your door for housekeeping to pick up. If the folks before you attracted them and a few are left hanging around when you check in let the staff at the desk know and they'll take care of it right away.

Mattresses are another subjective topic...what appeals to me may not appeal to you...that's why people are willing to pay $10,000 for one of those sleep number beds. I like the mattresses at CSA but others don't...it's vacation in paradise, you'll make the best of it regardless.

As for mold, I didn't notice it at CSA but it sure wouldn't be impossible for it to appear quickly in any room. We've stayed at a resort in Montego Bay that had some around the air conditioner vent in every room we were in over the years. It's a tropical environment, perfect for mold growth. People leave their doors open to enjoy the atmosphere...I do too, I'm not criticizing...and it lets in the outside air which is hot and humid. Takes an awful lot for the ac to dry it back out even once it's cool in the room. Mold is a fact of life in the environment. You won't notice it all over the place if you see it so I wouldn't let it worry you.

Erica,
April 2010 we stayed in an Atrium Suite and my wife absolutely loved it. There is no television so be prepared for that, to us it didn't matter. Remember you are going to a Tropical Island. There will be bugs and you may see some really tiny ants. I would suggest taking large freezer size zip lock bags and put your toothbrush and toothpaste in the zip bag after each use. If you order room service breakfast, have it on your veranda and leave the tray outside. If you make an effort to remove temptation for critters you should have no issues.
Our first day was in a first floor room even though we had requested 2nd floor, we moved the next day when a second became available. We liked the 2nd floor room much better, just felt more private, but as redinthehead states above, when it comes to Atrium Suite there are no bad rooms.
This coming April we moved up to reserve a Beachfront Atrium so we are really looking forward to going back. The tree frogs are loud, almost unbelievable, but I had no trouble sleeping
Mick
126 days 16 hours 14 min 42 sec until we return

We always book an Atrium room and won't have anything else at CSA. We think they're the best rooms on property. They're usually quieter than the beachfront rooms, have lush vegetation around them for privacy and have the best hammocks in the world on the porches. We like the first floor for convenience sake, and because they can drop our breakfast on the porch without us having to let them in, but the upstairs have nice vaulted ceilings, so you can't lose. We just got back and stayed in 1116, which was right in front of the greathouse. Was a little concerned it might be noisier because of location, but it was perfect. You'll love it.

Just stayed in one over Thanksgiving. rooms are very nice. I wouldn't bother requesting a certain block or room. Just be grateful to get a room. We are multiple time repeaters to /couplesand this trip was to complete all four cuoples Resorts. We had to wait four hours to get a room!. Not just us but everyone arriving. If they had told us that there was no chance of getting one earlier we would've opened our bags and got beach wear but they kept saying come back in a little while. While we were waiting we saw multiple poeple changing rooms, something I have never seen on this scale at any of the other Resorts. I'm sure this adds to the wait for new guests as they have no idea who is where.
The resort is very nice and I'm sure you will have a great time. we had a ground floor romm and although that's not what we wanted it was very nicely positioned and had more privacy than the upper floor rooms because of foliage. I think the nymber was 1122.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I really appreciate all your thoughtful and insightful responses. Good things to keep in mind. As you all can appreciate, this vacation doesn't come cheap; you just want it to be as pleasant as possible.

chris,
wow -- sounds like you found a winner! just curious, did you just randomly get assigned this room, did you have to switch, or did someone recommend it? as a return visitor, are you more likely to get your room request granted?

try to get a suite in the bldgs 22-27. It is far awat from the Palms if you like to go to bed early. My husband and I have had the atrium suites 3 years in a row and each year it gets better and better.

Thanks Barrie!

Originally Posted by barriebalance

try to get a suite in the bldgs 22-27. It is far awat from the Palms if you like to go to bed early. My husband and I have had the atrium suites 3 years in a row and each year it gets better and better.

I really appreciate your response -- it's a huge help as yes, my husband and I would prefer to turn in early for the night and get up early in the morning to take advantage of the daytime. Good to hear you've enjoyed your room choices (as well as Swept Away in general!) for you to return 3 years in a row! Hopefully we can make this suggestion, this being our first time (well, unless you count my visit 20 years ago!)

Is it true there's no glass in the windows of the Atrium rooms? We have one booked for this June and I'm worried that mosquitos will get in and eat me alive! Bugs love me and I get bites when no one else around gets touched.

Is it true there's no glass in the windows of the Atrium rooms? We have one booked for this June and I'm worried that mosquitos will get in and eat me alive! Bugs love me and I get bites when no one else around gets touched.

DianeD - please, pretty please can you share the room number or at least the building number with me. We are going back in a few weeks for our 5 year anniversary and what you've listed is everything we want in an Atrium room. Pretty please? Feel free to email me at breccad@hotmail.com
THANKS!

Going back for our 2nd Honeymoon / 5 year anniversary in April ! YAY!!!!

We are going to CN this year (yaY) but will miss the Atrium Rooms at CSA. The room was one of the reasons we almost went back to CSA again, but decided we aren't in our room enough for it to make that much of a difference. If CN had atrium rooms then it would by far be the most perfect resort.